Uplands

About 80 percent of Southwest Florida is made up of wetland habitats that perfectly suit the needs of shorebirds, waders, ducks, grebes, gallinules, rails, some owls, woodpeckers and even songbirds. But there are certain local breeders and winter visitors that really depend on uplands, whether pinelands, scrub, dry prairies, oak or tropical hammocks. Being the most attractive areas for agriculture and human settlement, these places represent some of South Florida's most impacted and fragmented habitats. But now, with many of our endangered and threatened mammals, birds and reptiles -- such as Florida panthers, black bears, red-cockaded woodpeckers and gopher tortoises -- depending on this higher ground for food and shelter -- upland corridors are now being set aside for preservation. Although not as diversely speciated as our wetlands, some of our most unique birds live in these areas.